Seri Indians 1. Description 1.1 Name(s) of society, language, and language family: Seri, Comcaac, Hokan Stock, but it is also distinct enough to be considered as its own language group. (1,8) 1.2 ISO code (3 letter code from ethnologue.com):639-3 1.3 Location (Latitude/Longitude): (28.98,-112.37) 1.4 Brief history: The Seri Indians are a highly independent, nonconforming people that are quick to adjust for convenience. They live in a harsh, highly-variable environment; the coastal desert region of Sonora, Mexico, the large Tiburon Island, and San Esteban Island just off the coast. They are an aggressive, outgoing people which indeed had something to do with the warfare between their people. While their numbers were once in the few thousands, they dwindled to just around 200 by the 1930s and back up to about 500 in 1982. They have always been semi-nomadic staying in one camp for only up to about three months or as long as they have a source of food and most importantly water.(1,3- 10) 1.5 Influence of Missionaries/schools/governments/powerful neighbors: The Seri people would often trade salt and hides for their neighbor’s agricultural produce. Most early Spanish explorers did not encounter the Seri Indians but were told that they lived on the coast. In 1962, groups of Seri Indians began petty raids of livestock in which the Spaniards that new inhabited the lands east of the Seri responded by killing several hundred Seri. This caused much friction and hate between the Seri and Spaniards. Eventually in the early 1700s Jesuit missionaries began trying to convert the Seri. Most Seri would drift in and out of the missions only to steal food or material goods. (1,14) 1.6 Ecology (Natural Environment): The Seri have always lived in the Sonora and Baja California desert and coast. These regions are very inhospitable and had only a few sources of fresh water such as springs and beach wells, hence why the Seri people never stayed in one place very long. Food was usually abundant, but water was not. (1,80)(2,42) 1.7 Population size, mean village size, home size, pop. density: Population is slightly below 1000 as of 2002. Small group consisting of usually a few different families. Small huts. With only a small number of Seri Indians, the population density is very small. (1,3-7) 2. Economy 2.1 Main Carbohydrate sources: Basic Staples were obtained from the four large-fruited columnar cacti, eelgrass, mesquite, century plants (agave) and various types of seeds. (1,88) 2.2 Main Protein Lipid source: Seafood is the main protein source for most Seri that live on the coast. This includes mollusks, fish, and sea turtles. Sea turtles are the most prized animal that is hunted by the Seri. They use harpoons to hunt the turtles, and nets to fish. (1,86) 2.3 Weapons: Harpoon, bow and arrow, clubs, eventually guns. (1,86) 2.4 Food Storage: Drying methods used to keep fish and meat are very important. Food such as grains and seeds are kept in large, sealed pottery vessels or “ollas” that are made by the women.(1,87) 2.5 Sexual Division of production: Large animals, seat turtles, and most fish were obtained by men because of the use of boats and weapons being in their domain. The hunting of small animals which did not require that kind of equipment might involve men, women, or both. Women would gather plants and mollusks and hunted various small animals with clubs and hunting dogs. (1,86) 2.6 Land Tenure: It is part of the Municipality of Hermosillo in Sonora. (3) 2.7 Ceramics: “Ollas” used mainly for food storage. (1,87) 2.8 Specified sharing pattern: Every person had an obligation to share one of two classes of goods, those being material or food. When available, these were to be shared with specific members of the extended family, who in turn were obliged to share the opposite class of goods when available. Most of this was done between two families that are known as the Hamac to each other. A Hamac’s responsibility to another family was this kind of sharing, funeral ceremonies, and sometimes wedding the members of each family. (1,6) 2.9 Food Taboos: There are not many food taboos with the Seri. However, the coyote is considered to have supernatural powers and are revered in a way by the Seri people and the shamans. The Seri people do not kill or hunt coyotes because of this and the belief that they may have been people once. (1,65) 2.10 Canoes/Watercraft: Balsa, similar to a reed boat. Today, they use wooden boats with outboard motors. (4) 3. Anthropometry 3.1 Mean adult height (male and female): Male=6ft3in Female=5ft9in (5) 4. Life History, Marriage, Mating 4.1 Age at Menarche: 4.2 Age at first birth (Male and Female): 16-20 (1,7) 4.3 Completed Family Size: 4.4 Inter-birth interval: 4.5 Age first marriage: When the puberty ceremony took place for the girl, then she was ready to be married. The puberty ceremony occurred when the other women in her community believed that she was ready. They would bring the girl from her home, down to the ocean to lay her in the water and allow the salt water to wash her hair. (1,6) 4.6 Portion of marriages ending in divorce: Divorce was rare. (1,6) 4.7 Percent marriages polygamous, percent males married polygamous: May have once practiced polygamy but not in the recent past. (1,7) 4.8 Bride purchase (price), bride service, dowry?: The Seri would always negotiate a bride price before a the female’s family would accept the marriage proposition. These gifts that were given, could include a boat, iron-wood carvings, money, food, or even a truck. (1,7) 4.9 Inheritance Patterns: The home and boat of the deceased would always be burned, and the possessions were divided between family members. (1,80) 4.10 Parent-offspring interactions and conflict: The husband and his father-in-law were forbidden from interacting or speaking with each other. Would have to communicate through the people around them. (1,6) 4.11 Homosexual activities, social attitudes toward homosexuals: 4.12 Pattern of exogamy (endogamy): endogamy (1,7) 4.13 What is the belief of the role of males in conception: is it paternity partible? Are these “other fathers” recognized?: 4.14 What is the belief of the mother’s role in procreation exactly?: The woman would do household chores, take care of child through infancy while the father would provide for them. (1,7) 4.15 Is conception believed to be an incremental process (semen builds up over time): 4.16 Occurrence of sexual coercion, rape: 4.17 Preferential category for spouse (e.g. cross cousin): It is taboo to marry anyone that you are related to. (1,7) 4.18 Do females enjoy sexual freedoms?: 4.19 Evidence of giving gifts to extramarital partners or extramarital offspring: 4.20 If mother dies, who raises children?: Family (1,6) 4.21 Adult sex ration: number of adult males divided by number of reproductive females: 4.22 Evidence for couvade: 4.23 Different distinctions for potential fathers (e.g. lesser/younger vs. major/older): Marriages between men and women of around the same age. (1,7) 4.24 Kin avoidance and respect: Father does not interact with son in law and visa versa. (1,6) 4.25 Joking relationships: 4.26 Patterns of decent for certain rights, names or associations: They have a system of anarchy (1,81) 4.27 Is there a formal marriage ceremony?: Since about the 1960s the ceremony usually takes place in the local Apostolic church and has included formal vows. (1,6) 4.28 In what way(s) does one get a name, change their name, obtain a different name?: Parents (1,5) 4.29 Is marriage usually within community or outside community? (m/f difference): 4.30 Are marriages arranged? Who arranges (e.g., parents, close kin)?: They are arranged by the parents of the two children sometimes with the help of a local shaman. After the proposal of marriage has been accepted by the female’s parents, a period of 6 months follows in which the male’s family gives gifts to the female’s family. (1,6) 4.31 Evidence for conflict of interest over who marries who: Warfare/homicide 4.32 Percent adult (male) deaths due to warfare: 4.33 Out-group vs in-group cause of violent death: The Seri Indians had violent conflicts with the Spanish that settled in Mexico. These conflicts started because the opportunistic Seri people would raid local missions the Spanish set up to try to convert and civilize the Seri, for food and material goods. Throughout the 18th and 19th century the Spanish frequently scuffled with the Seri and even sent troops to fight the Seri on Tiburon Island. Though they did not completely wipe the Seri out, warfare and disease brought by the Spaniards caused the Seri population to fall to just around 200 by the mid-19th century. (1,10) 4.34 Reported causes of in-group and out-group killing: The 4.35 Number, diversity and relationship with neighboring societies (external relations): Between the early 1700s and the late 1800s the Seri people were constantly engaged in conflict with the Spanish that established themselves in Mexico. They did not want to conform to the Spanish (1,10-15) 4.36 Cannibalism?: 5.